Acoustical and energy absorbent flooring underlayment

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an acoustical flooring underlayment comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and optionally a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. The energy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edge surfaces. The flooring underlayment provides sound attenuating and energy absorbing properties to a flooring underlayment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.Ser. No. 60/911,284 filed Apr. 12, 2007 and is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an underlayment for a floorand more specifically the flooring underlayment provides soundattenuating and energy absorbing properties to a flooring underlayment.

BACKGROUND

A typical hardwood, laminate, or engineered flooring system may includetwo or more layers. A top layer typically details the pattern andtexture of the product, and may include a protective layer, such as ahard coating, for durability. A core layer may be prepared from pressedfiberboard, for example, or from other suitable materials. A bottomlayer may be included to stabilize the product and to protect it fromdeleterious effects of moisture. Frequently, laminate or engineeredflooring systems employ some type of tongue and groove design to allowthe pieces of the flooring to bond together without requiring the use ofadhesive.

Most hard flooring systems, particularly those which include wood and/orlaminate flooring, include an underlayment which serves as a moisturebarrier, an energy absorber and a leveler for the hard flooring. Whenused in a hard flooring system, the moisture barrier will prevent themigration of moisture from the subfloor into the hard flooring. As aresult, whether or not an underlayment is capable of functioning as amoisture barrier is often an important consideration when selecting anunderlayment for use with a hard flooring system. This is particularlytrue if the hard flooring system is to cover a concrete subfloor asmoisture frequently seeps through the concrete subfloor and, in theabsence of a moisture barrier, into the wood or laminate flooring whereit causes the wood flooring to warp or the laminate flooring todelaminate.

Likewise, energy absorption is often an important consideration whenselecting an underlayment for use with a hard flooring system becausesuch an underlayment would absorb some of the sound or “echo” created bya person walking on the hard flooring. As a result, the hard flooringwould be quieter and, therefore, more appealing to those concerned withthe noise typically generated by hard flooring. Finally, by smoothinghigh points (peaks), low points (valleys), and other irregularities in asubfloor, an underlayment can help ensure that the relatively inflexiblehard flooring rests on a more level surface.

A wide variety of underlayments are used in conjunction with hardflooring. For example, a thin, continuous film of a polymeric material,for example, polyethylene or vinyl, may be installed over the subfloorto provide a moisture barrier for the hard flooring. Oftentimes, apolymeric open cell foam layer is positioned over the polymer film toprovide a degree of cushioning to the hard flooring placed above it.Variously, the polymer film and open cell foam layer may be laminated toone another or may be discrete components installed one over the other.Alternatively, a solid sheet of polymer having some cushioningcharacteristics, for example, a slightly polymerized vinyl chloridepolymer, can function as both a moisture barrier and a cushion betweenthe subfloor and the hard flooring. Another suitable underlayment is alaminate composite formed of a moisture impervious vinyl, polyethylene,or polyester film attached to latex or vinyl foam. Other underlaymentsused with hard flooring include nonwoven fiber batts of polyester,nylon, or polypropylene with a moisture barrier attached to one side ofthe fiber batt

It is well-known that moisture may cause undesirable cupping or warpingof the flooring system. A vapor barrier may be employed to protect thelaminate or engineered flooring system from damage caused by moisture.Though a vapor barrier may provide some protection against moisturedamage, vapor barriers tend to increase the cost and installationcomplexity of such flooring systems.

Another issue that may be experienced with flooring systems is the soundthat may be produced when the floor is used. In multi-story structures,for example, sound created by use of an upper unit floor may betransmitted down into the unit below. Likewise, sound may be reflectedback into the unit in which it is created. A sound barrier layer may beemployed to reduce one or both of transmitted and reflected noise.Typical sound barrier layers include dense rubber and plastic sheets,corks, recycled fibers, and various types of foams. Such sound barriers,however, tend to be heavy and to add to the complexity and overall costof installation.

Examples of conventional foams used in flooring applications have EPCcontents, and densities resulting in compressive strengths below about0.50 kg/cm·sup·2. These properties of conventional olefin foamunderlayments combine to produce relatively high reflected soundpressure levels (i.e., greater than about 13.5 dB average) in the 300 Hzto 1000 Hz range. Other underlayment materials, such as fiber pad, cork,and non-cross-linked foam, for example, also tend to produce relativelyhigh reflected sound pressure levels in the 300 Hz to 1000 Hz frequencyrange. Such materials also tend to produce high moisture vaportransmission rates (MVTR) unless additional vapor barrier layers areincorporated.

Accordingly, it would be desirable if there were available flooringsystems that produced relatively low sound reflections and moisturevapor transmission rates.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes a flooring underlayment configured forinstallation between hard flooring and a subfloor. The flooringunderlayment is comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from apolymeric gel compound such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,041,719, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by referencedin their entirety. The polymeric gel compound is affixed to a firstmoisture barrier affixed to a first side surface of the energy absorbinglayer. When mechanical energy is applied to the hard flooring, theenergy absorbing layer absorbs at least a portion of the acoustic energyproduced by the hard flooring.

In further aspects thereof, the first moisture barrier may be a moistureimpermeable film laminated to the first side surface of the energyabsorbing layer or a closed cell foam attached to the first side surfaceof the energy absorbing layer. In still further aspects thereof, theflooring underlayment may further include a second moisture barrierlaminated onto a second side surface of the energy absorbing layer. Inthis aspect, the first moisture barrier engages the subfloor while thesecond moisture barrier engages the hard flooring.

In another embodiment, a flooring underlayment configured forinstallation between hard flooring and a subfloor is disclosed. Theflooring underlayment is comprised of an energy absorbing layer formedfrom a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloorand a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. The energyabsorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface anda plurality of edge surfaces. The first moisture barrier is laminated tothe first side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes atleast one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding one of the edgesurfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edge surfaceprojecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energyabsorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to the secondside surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes plural edgesurfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush with one of theedge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer. When mechanical energy isapplied to the hard flooring, the energy absorbing layer absorbs atleast a portion of the acoustic energy produced by the hard flooring.

In still another embodiment, disclosed herein is a hard flooring systemconfigured for installation in a space defined by a subfloor, a firstwall and a second wall. The hard flooring system is comprise of a firstenergy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section, a secondenergy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section, a hardflooring and a moisture resistive section. In turn, each of the firstand second energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment sections iscomprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a recycled material,a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and a second moisturebarrier engaging the hard flooring. The first moisture barrier islaminated to a first side surface of the energy absorbing layer andincludes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding oneof the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edgesurface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of theenergy absorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to asecond side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes pluraledge surfaces, each of which lays flush with one of the plurality ofedge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.

As further disclosed herein, the projecting edge surface of the firstmoisture barrier laminated to the energy absorbing layer of the firstenergy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section engages aportion of the first wall while the projecting edge surface of the firstmoisture barrier laminated to the energy absorbing layer of the secondenergy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment is positionedunderneath a portion of the first moisture barrier laminated to theenergy absorbing layer of the first energy absorptive/moisture resistiveunderlayment section. Finally, the moisture resistive section engagesthe second wall and an edge surface of the energy absorbing layer of thesecond energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section whichabuts the second wall.

DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates the flooring underlayment and in combination with awood flooring laminate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a flooring underlayment comprised of an energy absorbinglayer formed from a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaginga subfloor and a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. Theenergy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second sidesurface and a plurality of edge surfaces. The first moisture barrier islaminated to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer andincludes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding oneof the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edgesurface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of theenergy absorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to thesecond side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes pluraledge surfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush with one ofthe edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing in which like numeralsindicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 depicts theflooring underlayment 2 comprised of energy absorbing layer 4 formedfrom in part a polymeric gel compound having a moisture barrier 6.Additionally depicted is the subfloor 10 and the wood laminate flooring8.

While Applicants have set forth embodiments as illustrated and describedabove, it is recognized that variations may be made with respect todisclosed embodiments. Therefore, while the invention has been disclosedin various forms only, it will be obvious to those skilled in the artthat many additions, deletions and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this invention, and no unduelimits should be imposed except as set forth in the following claims.

1. A flooring underlayment comprising: an energy absorbing layer formedfrom a polymeric gel; a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloorand a second moisture barrier for engaging a flooring.
 2. The flooringunderlayment of claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing layer includes afirst side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edgesurfaces.
 3. The flooring underlayment of claim 2, wherein a firstmoisture barrier is laminated to the first side surface of the energyabsorbing layer and includes at least one edge surface laying flush witha corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layerand at least one edge surface projecting past a corresponding one of theedge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.
 4. The flooringunderlayment of claim 3, wherein a second moisture barrier is laminatedto the second side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includesplural edge surfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush withone of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.